1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system, an imaging device and a printing method for carrying out printing by logically connecting a printing device with the imaging device, and more particularly to a printing system, a printing device, an imaging device, a printing method and an image-transmitting method wherein time required for transmitting image data is reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method for logically connecting an imaging device such as a digital camera and a printing device such as a printer, standards like Bluetooth and PictBridge are known (for reference, see JP-A H9-139876).
The applicant of the present application has also proposed a data-output system and a digital still video camera in JP-A H9-139876 for the above-mentioned connecting method. The proposed technology is characterized by changing an image according to output performance of the printing device.
In addition, an image file having a hierarchy structure as typified by JPEG2000 is being appeared in these years. According to the JPEG2000 format, a plurality of hierarchies from a hierarchy of rough image to a hierarchy of detailed image is contained in a single file. This file format has a characteristic that it is possible to utilize only up to an intermediate hierarchy to obtain a medium-rough image without utilizing all of data.
In the aforementioned conventional technologies, however, time required for communication and so on has not been taken into account. Since a plurality of image data is transmitted when carrying out printing of an index type or a multi-image type, there is a drawback that time corresponding to the number of images is required when transmitting the image data. Alternatively, even when a thumbnail is transmitted in substitution for an original image, a printed image thereof will be dismal depending upon a size of printing.